1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flash and strobe units used with cameras and other imaging devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to housings for flash and strobe components and circuitry.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras having built-in flash units are well known. Their widespread popularity is due in large part to the ease of use associated with performing flash photography without having to mount a dedicated flash unit onto a camera or other imaging device.
Unfortunately, however, built-in flash units often do not provide sufficient additional lighting to support exposures of distant subjects, etc. For example, when a built-in flash unit emits light in a substantially singular direction (e.g., toward a subject), a shadow can result at the back of the subject which can adversely affect imaging (e.g., photographic, etc.) operations.
To address such problems, various proposals have been made which involve plural strobe/flash units to properly illuminate a scene or subject to be imaged. For example, some developers have proposed the use of master and slave strobe/flash units. With such an arrangement, light amount and duration are adjusted by simultaneousely stopping light emission by the master and slave units. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. JP-A-57-88437, for example, light adjustment is achieved by providing two flash units which are connected to each other via a cable or other dedicated type of physical connection. Unfortunately, prior multi-flash unit systems like or similar to those illustrated in Japanese Publication No. JP-A-57-88437 were complicated to setup and took a relatively long period of time to arrange. Such problems hinder photographic and other imaging operations and, as a result, have been the cause of lost and poor-quality images.
To solve the aforementioned problems associated with prior multi-strobe systems used to achieve properly illuminated images, other developers have proposed using wireless technologies. Typically, such wireless systems use light or electric waves (RF) between a master strobe/flash unit and a slave strobe/flash unit to control the same to achieve a desired level of illumination. Such wireless systems go far to ease setup operations and to minimize the amount of time necessary to do the same. Unfortunately, however, prior wireless systems still do not permit reliable and predictable flash images and, in fact, are quite difficult to use.
An exemplary multi-unit flash system is depicted in a drawing figure which is attached to this patent document and which has been identified as FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a casing or housing 52 supports a strobe/flash unit disposed in an upper part of a camera body 51. A built-in strobe/flash unit 53 (master strobe) is located within the interior of the housing 52. A metal bracket fitting 57 is mounted in a lower part of the camera body 51. An external strobe/flash unit 58 (slave strobe) is mounted to camera body 51 via metal bracket fitting 57 (e.g., such as via a tripod mounting screw-type receptacle, etc.). External strobe/flash unit 58 is arranged at a position so that light emitted by built-in strobe/flash unit 53 is incident on a light receiving window and element 59 disposed in external strobe/flash unit 58.
When built-in strobe/flash unit 53 emits light, external strobe/flash unit 58 simultaneously commences light emission. Camera body 51 includes a light receiving unit which receives light reflected from the subject, and when a predetermined amount of received light corresponding to an exposure setting is realized, for example, light emission by built-in strobe/flash unit 53 is stopped. On the other hand, regardless of whether built-in strobe/flash unit 53 stops illuminating, external strobe/flash unit 58 stops light emission in accordance with a pre-set value. That is, external strobe/flash unit 58 emits light for a particular amount of time regardless of need and, possibly, to the point of over-exposure.
And, since light receiving window element 59 receives light from both built-in strobe/flash unit 53 and external strobe/flash unit 58, it is difficult to discriminate between the same for purposes of lighting control. That is, it is difficult to discriminate among the lighting sources that emit light to effectively and reliably control the emission of light by external strobe/flash unit 58.
As such, in FIG. 1, as in the case of many other prior multi-unit flash systems, it is impossible to simultaneously stop two or more flash lighting sources.
To address the problems associated stopping light emission among multiple light sources, other developers have proposed elaborate wireless systems. For example, a prior wireless flash light emission system which permits remote placement of a slave flash unit is now described with reference to a drawing figure which is attached hereto and which is identified as FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, parts similar or like those shown in FIG. 1 bear the same reference numerals. In FIG. 2, a strobe/flash unit support casing 52 is disposed in an upper part of camera body 51, and a built-in strobe/flash unit 53 (master strobe) is located within the same. Camera body 51 is facing the subject, and light emitted by built-in strobe/flash unit 53 is projected in the direction of the subject.
A slave strobe/flash unit 54 is connected to a signal receiving control device 55. A light receiving window 56 is disposed in signal receiving control device 55. Signal receiving control device 55 has a light receiving window 56 arranged facing the direction of built-in strobe/flash unit 53 and is in a position which is irradiated by light emitted by built-in strobe/flash unit 53.
When light is emitted by built-in strobe/flash unit 53, signal receiving control device 55 receives light via light receiving window 56 and commences light emission simultaneously with the commencement of strobe light emission by built-in strobe/flash unit 53.
Camera body 51 includes a light receiving unit which receives light reflected from the subject. When a predetermined amount of light is received, light emission by built-in strobe/flash unit 53 is stopped. When light emission by built-in strobe/flash unit 53 stops, signal receiving control device 55 detects the same and causes slave strobe/flash unit 54 to stop simultaneously.
While the system shown in FIG. 2 goes a long way to provide better flash lighting results, complete freedom of placement of a remote or slave strobe/flash unit is not possible. That is, the system shown in FIG. 2 requires a slave strobe/flash unit to be placed in a location which is to be irradiated by light emitted by a master unit (i.e., in front of a master strobe/flash unit). As such, when a photographer desires to eliminate shadows of subjects, for example, a slave strobe/flash unit can not be placed in a location along side (left or right) or behind a master strobe/flash unit. Moreover, because it is necessary to place the slave strobe/flash unit in front of a master strobe/flash unit using a wide angle lens often is difficult.
Thus, there exists a need to provide a new and improved flash unit and corresponding system that will permit accurate control of light emission among multiple strobe/flash units and which will allow freedom of placement of remotely located slave type strobe/flash units. To be viable, such new and improved systems must be easy to setup and use, and be manufactured to be sold at effective price points.